I'm glad I don't work for NPS anymore. Feel really bad for all their seasonal staff who probably won't be working most of this season. No way they can house all that staff with this virus going through
Have a backpacking trip in Saguaro coming up this weekend, I really hope they stay open or at least lets us backpack.
What better way to socially distance is there than being in the middle of nowhere? If anything post a temporary quota.
If anything national parks will be the last thing to close. They're probably the best way to get people to socially distance themselves right now.
has anyone gone to a NP on a weekday to avoid crowds? how has that been? Thinking of taking two weekdays off to go on hikes without running into a bunch of people.
Not yet but thinking about giving it a shot to at least a state park... Mostly because you said that.
Supposed to be going to Yellowstone the first weekend of June (hopefully it'll be open by then but I'm not counting on it). We are staying in Bozeman for 2 nights, spending all day driving south through the park and then staying in Jackson Hole for 2 nights. Will rebook to late August if needed.
Planning on a summer road trip through SD hitting badlands and Rushmore on the way to Yellowstone and Grand Teton. If America opens back up. Might get wild and loop down to Mesa Verde and come back via RMNP.
Custer State Park is by far the best state park I've ever been. I know wind cave is close but that whole area should be a National Park/Landmark. Absolutely amazing.
Weekdays are typically better than weekends, but at some parks they are still god awful (Zion for example).
Had a thought the other day wondering how many people were planning to do the AT or PCT and will have to wait another year
Any word yet on when parks are going to be opening back up? I'm wanting to do a short trip with my wife and son for my 30th birthday 8/12-8/16 and was eyeing Yellowstone/Grand Teton or Glacier.
Part of Yellowstone is opening Monday (only the Wyoming gates). Hopefully 2 weeks later the Montana gates and rest of park will open. I'm supposed to go June 3-7 but probably gonna need to reschedule for last week of August. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/yellowstone-half-reopen-amid-self-193755977.html
Rocky Mountain National Park To Begin Reopening On May 27 Hart Van Denburg/CPR News A sign in Rocky Mountain National Park urges hikers to stay on marked trails. Colorado's iconic national park will start a phased reopening on Wednesday, May 27, after a two-month closure due to the coronavirus pandemic. The announcement from Rocky Mountain National Park comes the same day as state parks begin to open their campsites. Rocky Mountain still warned in their statement that summer in the park would look "much different this year." The park will start issuing wilderness and backcountry camping permits on May 27. Only a few of the park's campsites will open up this summer. The Moraine Park and Glacier Basin campgrounds will partially open on June 4 at about half capacity. The Aspenglen, Timber Creek and Longs Peak campgrounds will stay closed. Shuttle buses in the Bear Lake Road corridor will also start on May 27, with occupancy limited to 15 passengers per trip. The hiker's shuttle buses that leaves from Estes Park Visitor Center will remain unoperational. Rocky Mountain National Park had closed its doors to visitors on Friday, March 20, shortly after the mayor of Estes Park called on the park to close.
What.A.Fucking.Idiot. A woman suffered burns after falling into a thermal feature at Yellowstone National Park on Tuesday, according to the park officials. Yellowstone has been closed to visitors since March 24 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The woman "illegally entered the park," the National Park Service (NPS) said in a statement. She told park rangers she was backing up to take pictures when she fell into a thermal feature at the Old Faithful Geyser, one of the most famous geyser's in the world. "Hot springs have injured or killed more people in Yellowstone than any other natural feature," reads the park's website. It also warns visitors to stay on the boardwalks and trails in these thermal areas. After falling, the woman, who was not identified by park officials, was able to get in her vehicle and drive through the park when she was contacted by rangers. Due to her injuries, she was life-flighted to the Burn Center at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, park officials said.
Yeah she’s dumb for getting that close, but illegally entering the park and having Yellowstone largely to yourself sounds pretty f’n awesome
no where near Yellowstone, but the wife and I have been sneaking into our favorite nature preserve a few times a week for the past several weeks. During normal times it's pretty crowded, especially on the weekends, but having the trails to ourselves has been awesome.
Trying to bring the family to Olympic National Park in 2021. Any must sees or do’s that I should be aware of? Just started to do research on the park. But any insight would be appreciated. Thanks
Hurricane Hill is one of my favorite hikes I've done anywhere in the country. You hike through alpine mountains and then have views out to the ocean from the top. As a whole Olympic would be up there as one of my favorite national parks. The diversity is really cool going from jagged mountains, to rainforest, to the beaches. The Hoh rainforest is really unique and different. Sol Duc Falls is a nice little hike. Ruby Beach was also a nice hike. Cape Flattery is a neat place to go that is off the beaten path. I think it's the most northwesterly point in the lower 48. The hike to the point is not that great, just a walk through the woods, but the views at the end are neat. Not in Olympic, but one of the best things I did in the area was a Orca watching tour in the San Juan islands. I don't usually like group tours like that, but it was well worth it.
My wife and I are thinking about taking three kids in an RV out West to Colorado and Southern Utah. Any thoughts on parks well suited to RV and those which aren’t. We aren’t going to be able to hit everything. We’re going to try 3-4 in two weeks, and hit the highlights.
I've not visited any of the parks in an RV, but they are popular in most. Most parking areas will be set up for RVs, but not all will be, and not all roads will allow long vehicles on them. I would just ask at the visitors centers when you get there about areas that you can't take an RV. If you are talking about this summer some visitors may not be open. My recollection is that Arches and Canyonland have roads and parking at most trailheads suited for RVs. I have seen where the Moab area is not encouraging tourists right now, that could change as the summer progresses. Zion would be the easiest because you have to use their busses to get around. If you are talking about this summer I have seen some things suggesting Zion might not run busses due to the coronavirus. That will tremendously limit capacity at Zion and the parking available inside Zion definitely wouldn't suit an RV. Bryce Canyon has parking for RVs in the main area of the canyon. On parts of the scenic drive up the canyon I don't think all of the pull offs would allow for an RV, but some would. Capitol Reef is probably not good for an RV many of the trails are off of dirt roads and even the parking area at the visitors center is small. Rocky Mountain NP has shuttles for the areas on the Estes Park side of the park, but you would need to look into its coronavirus adjustments. You can take an RV over Trail Ridge Road, but parking at the visitor center at the top could be a challenge. That is where you access some of the hikes. Mesa Verde I think would be fine at the major stops. At Great Sand Dunes I didn't travel past the visitors center (where parking should be fine for an RV) because that is where you access the sand dunes. Black Canyon of the Gunnison may be limited for RVs. I don't recall large parking areas at all of the pull offs that look into the canyon. Not national parks, but I think you would be fine in an RV at Colorado National Monument and Dinosaur National Monunment.
This is a very good review. As far as Capitol Reef, there are spaces for RVs in the main campground, but, as you said, it’s not a very big campground. In the nearby town of Torrey the Thousand Lakes Campground has RV sites. It’s been a while since I was there and there might be more campgrounds in the area now. herb.burdette a couple of other thoughts: 1. Don’t forget the State Parks. I don’t know how old your kids are, but if they are young they will enjoy places like Goblin Valley State Park more than Capitol Reef or Bryce Canyon. 2. I don’t know if you are aware that you can park your RV anywhere on BLM lands, which are abundant- - - especially in Southern Utah. It’s good to know if you cannot get into a campground. Another thing to keep in mind- - - it’s going to be hard to maintain social distancing at the Parks unless they put some type of organized social distancing measures in place. Also, if you plan to eat at restaurants in Southern Utah you will have the same issue. Below is a link to a recent story about Moab and it’s restrictions. https://www.moabsunnews.com/covid-19/article_e78e6b36-8be8-11ea-90cc-9f3c14c26052.html
Olympic is badass. Went out there with my younger brother after he graduated college. We spent our first nite on the beach at La Push which I highly recommend. Hurricane Ridge is cool. Hoh rainforest was my brothers favorite part and the Sol Duc falls is cool and an easy hike. Olympic is really cool for the diversity but Mt Rainer was my favorite, highly recommend you build that into your trip and reserve the best campsites early if you plan on that
We have no real plan. We’re just trying to string together something with two weeks to get to Colorado/Utah and back to Cincinnati. My wife and I will haul the 19-20 hours there in a straight shot. Kids are 10-16.
herb.burdette do you own an RV or have a line on one already? Would it make sense and be feasible to pull a trailer that allows you to have a regular vehicle, too? Choose a base location every few days and trip from there in the truck or SUV. That for find a camper van and make the kids tent it next door.